Author: ocd web master

The On-going Formation Committee of the Anglo-Irish Province organized a symposium on Christian human development. The event took place from 13th – 17th October. The setting was our Carmelite Priory in the Northern Ireland city of Derry. The event was open to the Carmelite friars and secular Order from these islands. In all, there were eight speakers, all experts in their field.  One evening the Prior of the community, from Belfast, gave the participants a fascinating talk about the troubled history of Ireland.

The Symposium coincided with the feast of St Teresa of Avila. We were delighted to welcome our Carmelite Bishop Philip Boyce who presided at the Eucharist. There followed a delicious celebratory dinner then music and singing in true teresian tradition. All who attended said the symposium had been very worthwhile.

 

The Relics of St. Therese visited the Carmelite Monastery of Our Lady of Grace and St. Therese in Carmel, California, on the 100th anniversary of our foundation. We began our Centenary Anniversary with a Holy Year of Thanksgiving. Our Bishop opened our Holy Door on October 24, 2024.

Our Chapel holds about 250 people. About 450 people came for the Arrival of the Relics on October 23, 2025. We processed through the Chapel, holding lighted candles, to welcome St. Therese at the door. The next day, the first Triduum Mass, in honor of St. Therese, was celebrated by the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, Slawomir Szkredka, who concelebrated with 13 priests. Over 700 people attended. Over 2,200 people visited the Monastery and Chapel during our Centenary Jubilee Triduum celebration.

When we hosted the relic in 2000, about 1,200 people venerated them. We are greatly encouraged to see the devotion and faith of so many more faithful people, young and old, this time. Therese’s message of simplicity, confidence and love is very needed and meaningful in our world today!

 

The city of Cuenca welcomed the Secular Carmelite Order of Ecuador with open arms from 1 to 3 November for our National Meeting. It was with immense joy that we hosted the 14 OCDS communities of Ecuador and more than 120 brothers and sisters.

The opening Eucharist reminded us that holiness is a daily invitation from Jesus, and that we are called to live it with simplicity and depth every day. We then shared on a powerful theme: ‘Who are you, brother?’, led by Lorena Pabón, OCDS, and Brother José Miguel Chunzho, OCD. On 2 November, we had moments of reflection with our sisters Ana Luisa Lozano, OCDS, and Sandra García, OCDS, national formator of the Secular Carmelite Order. Then, Fr. Ovidio Rendón, OCD, invited us to rediscover the importance of listening and fraternal commitment in community. On the last day of the meeting, Fr. Robin Calle, OCD, gave us a powerful and enlightening message for our journey: he invited us to be Martha and Mary, servants and contemplatives, capable of loving and serving with availability and humility.

These were days of prayer, reflection and fraternity, during which we rediscovered that we are not a group, but an Order, called to live with fidelity and dedication, placing Jesus at the centre of our lives.

 

On Sunday, 19 October 2025, a solemn Mass was held in Abidjan to mark the opening of the silver jubilee of the presence of the Discalced Carmelite Friars in Ivory Coast and the creation of the parish of Saint Louis de Gonzague.

In a joyful atmosphere, the brothers of the Provincial Delegation of Saint Thérèse Bénédicte de la Croix and the parishioners gave thanks to God for the wonders He has accomplished through the presence of the Teresian Carmelite Order in this neighbourhood of the city of Abidjan.

This double jubilee was opened by the Provincial Delegate, Brother Florent Traoré. During the celebration, he lit the jubilee candle and sent the organizing committee, composed of brothers, lay members of the Secular Carmelite Order and members of the parish pastoral council, on mission.

Various activities will punctuate this jubilee year, which will come to a solemn close on 21 June 2026.

 

On 6 October 2025, the Apostolic Penitentiary published a decree granting a plenary indulgence on the occasion of the sanjuanist Centenaries, which will be celebrated from 14 December 2025 to 27 December 2026, during which the third centenary of the canonization and the first centenary of the ecclesiastical Doctorate of Saint John of the Cross will be celebrated.

The decree specifies that the faithful will be able to benefit from the indulgence, under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father), if they participate in a spirit of penance and devotion in the jubilee celebrations or if they go on pilgrimage to the designated churches.

The decree mentions in particular the Church of San Juan de la Cruz of the Discalced Carmelites in Segovia, where his mortal remains are buried, as the main jubilee site, as well as the churches associated with the jubilee in the dioceses of Ávila, Segovia and Jaén.

The possibility of obtaining the indulgence is also extended to the elderly, the sick, and the disabled, provided that they unite themselves spiritually to the jubilee celebrations from their place of residence, offering their prayers, sufferings, or sacrifices to our merciful God, with sincere contrition and the desire to fulfil the established conditions as soon as possible.

The Penitentiary also encourages priests to promote the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation during the jubilee year, so that the faithful may experience this time of grace with a complete inner disposition.

The decree thus officially recognizes the Sanjuanist Jubilee Year as a time of spiritual renewal during which the Church invites the faithful to rediscover the mystical and theological heritage of St John of the Cross under the theme: ‘Hope obtains as much as it hopes’.

 

The 2nd Carmelitarum Choral Festival 2025 was held from October 3 to 5, 2025, at the Discalced Carmelite Monastery of Saint Mary of Bethlehem, Lembang – West Java, Indonesia, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the canonization of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. The festival brought together 36 choirs from three categories: Children’s Choir, Mixed Youth Choir, and Mixed Adult Choir. Participants came from the Dioceses of Bandung, Bogor, and Jakarta, as well as from several Catholic schools in West Java and Jakarta. The event gathered around 1,000 people, including participants, choir officials, parents, and committee members, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere of faith, fellowship, and song.

The competitions for the Children’s and Mixed Youth Choirs were held on October 3, followed by the Mixed Adult Choir competition on October 4. The final day featured “Meet the Jury” sessions, workshops on conducting and vocal technique, and concluded with an award and closing ceremony.

In its simplicity, joy, and togetherness, the 2nd Carmelitarum Choral Festival became a moment of grace — an offering of song, faith, and love flowing from the heart of the Church.

 

On September 27, 2025, the Carmelite Nuns celebrated the 25th anniversary of its founding, with a cardinal, bishops, priests, religious and large number of faithful.

A brief history of the monastery: in 1999, Most Rev. Louis Chamnien, Bishop of Nakhon Sawan, sent a letter inviting the congregation to live in Nakhon Sawan and brought Mother Angela, the superior of the Carmelite in Bangkok, to look at the land for the construction of a new monastery. On December 2000, the Carmelite Nuns moved into the new monastery and on June 2001, the monastery was officially consecrated.

All the sisters have lived according to the Carmelite spirituality, living in the hermitage and praying for the world, especially for the Diocese of Nakhon Sawan. Currently, there are 12 members. Every day, we see and experience God’s love, who is always by our side, protecting and caring for us so that we lack nothing.

 

After spending two years living in a rented house close to the St Teresa of Avila parish in the Kognito district, we recently relocated to the small convent that was constructed on three hectares of land owned by the Order in the Apessito district, which is also close to the aforementioned parish.

A year ago, this seemed like a dream, but thanks to the generosity of many Spanish benefactors, including lay Christians from the Sagrada Familia and Carmen di Castellón de la Plana, as well as others who climb the Carmelite Desert mountain in Las Palmas (Benicàssim), this has become a reality. Thanks to these contributions, we were able to finance almost half of the work, with the rest being completed by our Iberian Province.

We ask for your prayers so that, through our daily dedication, we may lay the foundations of this new Discalced Carmelite community and promote the growth of the charism of Teresa of Jesus and John of the Cross in these African lands.

 

The OCDS in the Philippines has 44 communities divided in five regions: Visayas, Mindanao, North Luzon, South Luzon A and South Luzon B. Previous to the 9th OCDS National Congress that took place in Tagaytay from the 4th to the 7th of September, 2025, Fr. Ramiro Casale, OCD, general delegate for the OCDS and Mrs. Meg Ramos, OCDS, National President visited the five regions. All meetings had moments of prayer, dialogue, reflection and recreation.

At the OCDS National Congress, which title was, Renewed Spiritual and Apostolic Dynamism with Creative Fidelity, the Provincial of the Philippines, Fr. Rey Sotelo, OCD, and his delegate for the OCDS, Fr. Mariano Agruda III, OCD, were also present. The OCDS representatives of each region gave a report on their activities, initiatives and situation. An important part of the congress was the election of the new OCDS National Council for the term 2025-2028. The event had the participation of 180 OCDS coming from all over the Philippines who were witnesses to the great communion and collaboration that exists among all OCDS in the country.

 

The Cloistered Carmel Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery, Kankanady, joyfully celebrated the Centenary of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus from September 28 to October 1, 2025. The celebration featured a special exhibition on the life of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, which drew many faithful to reflect on her simple yet profound spirituality.

The festive Mass was presided over by Fr. Pius James D’Souza OCD, Definitor General, who, in his homily, highlighted the inspiring life and virtues of St. Thérèse, encouraging the faithful to embrace her “Little Way” of love and sacrifice in daily life. The Eucharistic celebration was concelebrated by Fr. Philbert Namphande, Definitor General, and many Carmelites priests whose presence added to the solemnity of the occasion. The participation of the faithful, united in prayer and thanksgiving, made the feast a true renewal of faith.

With deep gratitude, the Cloistered Carmel Sisters acknowledged all who joined them in prayer and devotion, making the Centenary of the Sainthood of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus a memorable and grace-filled celebration.

 

The Seminarium Missionum, the OCD specialisation community in Rome, has been designated by the General Definitory for the ongoing formation of Carmelite religious from all over the world, at licentiate and doctorate level.

As part of the Teresianum, it encourages a balanced Carmelite lifestyle centred on shared spiritual practices, intercultural dialogue, and advanced academic studies. The community is dedicated to St Thérèse of Lisieux. To celebrate the centenary of her canonisation and the 2025 ecclesial jubilee, the Seminarium Missionum presented the Church with an international jubilee song.

Inspired by the writings of St Thérèse of Lisieux and St John of the Cross, the song was written by Don Giorgio Piero Cabras, composed by Fr Jeannot-Gregory Souama OCD, and performed by the community’s 31 priests, who hail from 24 countries and 20 Carmelite provinces. Filmed entirely at the Teresianum, the video was edited by Fr Michel (George-Marie) Rivière OCD. The superior, Fr Ignatius Kunnumpurathu Paul OCD, and the bursar, Fr Joemon Olattupurath OCD, were responsible for the animation and artistic direction, highlighting the many dimensions of community life in Carmel.

The video is available on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fLD72f_wDA&list=RD_fLD72f_wDA

 

The historic and holy convent of Eremo di MonteVirginio, built in 1668, has been blessed to house our seven friars from five nationalities – Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Madagascar – from the OCD International College at Teresianum. As they reflect on their vocational journey in preparation for their solemn profession, they have felt God’s presence in shared wisdom, shared silence, shared prayer, and shared friendship in this holy place. Their “yes” has also been strengthened and made clearer by grace, humility, and faithfulness.

 

The Karnataka-Goa Province, in collaboration with the Diocesan Centre for Biblical Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, organised a Bible Symposium at the Divine Springs Retreat Centre, Xellim-Loliem, from August 27 to 29.

The symposium on the theme ‘Biblical Text in its Context in the Digital and AI Age’ was organized to mark the Jubilee Year 2025 as well as the Centenary of the Canonisation of St Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Auxiliary-Bishop Simião Fernandes, who is Chairman of the Western Region CCBI Bible Commission, inaugurated the symposium. The symposium concluded with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Fr. Silvestre D’Souza OCD, Provincial of the Karnataka-Goa Province.

Speakers included Carmelite scholars from India and Rome, diocesan leaders from Goa and Mangalore, and biblical experts from Bengaluru, Jerusalem, and Trivandrum. Workshops included training on online resources, AI tools for Bible study, Bible software and essential biblical tools.

 

The Carmelite monastery of St Joseph, founded in Prague in 1600, has changed location several times, mainly due to the hostile political situation in our country. The previous monastery was located in the centre of the capital, but because of excessive noise and the small size of the garden, we decided in 2018 to move to a quieter location with more land on the outskirts of the town of Drasty.

Thanks to God’s Providence and the help of many benefactors, we managed to complete the construction of the monastery and church in the spring of 2024. Although the complex is not yet completely finished, our community moved into the new monastery in May and our church dedicated to Saint Teresa of Avila was consecrated on 8 June. It was a beautiful celebration attended by many priests, brothers, neighbours and friends. In the autumn of the same year, we were able to open the guesthouse.

 

On Saturday, August 9, 2025, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower and the Discalced Carmelite family in San Antonio, Texas (USA) welcomed young adults from around Texas to Carmelite Young Adult Day. This annual event invites young adults to experience the family (friars, nuns, and OCDS), the spirituality, and the saints of Carmel.

The theme for this year’s event was St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross: Seeker of Truth, Witness of the Cross. The day included two conferences, Mass, adoration with confessions, lunch, a Carmelite goodies giveaway, a tour of the Basilica, enrollment in the Brown Scapular, and the opportunity to venerate first and second-class relics of various Carmelite saints. Our speakers were Br. Joseph Teresa of the Eucharist, OCD (a student friar) and Abbey Murphy (a PhD student at Boston College who studies the philosophy of St. Edith Stein). Young women also had the opportunity to attend Mass with and meet our cloistered nuns in San Antonio, hearing their vocations stories and asking questions.